Various web-based services have been developed for allowing users to collect payments from other users. Examples of such services include Qpass and BillPoint. These services generally suffer from a number of deficiencies.
One such deficiency is that the payer typically must complete a significant number of setup steps before making a payment to a new payee. As a result, existing services are not well suited for allowing payees to collect small or one-time payments from large numbers of users. The need to collect such payments may arise, for example, when an author, musical artist, or other content creator wishes to solicit contributions from consumers of downloadable content; or when a charitable organization wishes to solicit online donations from the public.
Another deficiency is that many existing payment services do not provide a simple mechanism for web site operators to integrate the collection process into their own web sites. As a result, prior art payment services are not well suited for small web site operators to solicit and collect payments via their own web sites. Such a need may arise, for example, when an operator of a web site wishes to receive payments from consumers of content hosted by that site. Another deficiency is that existing payment services do not provide an adequate mechanism for payees to enlist other web site operators to assist in the collection process.
Prior art payment services also typically lack the ability for payees to efficiently provide customized or personalized payment requests to payees. The need to provide such requests may arise, for example, when a seller wishes to send a personalized invoice to a buyer, or when an individual wishes to request event-related contributions from a small group of friends.
Many payment services also lack a mechanism for external web sites to provide content to users according to whether, or the extent to which, such users have made voluntary or required payments. In addition, prior payment systems are typically incapable of recognizing return customers.